The Journey to Caraway Fief
by PegacornLovesTempleRun
Summary: A sprt of kind of sequel to Self-taught Ranger! Cendra faces many dificulties on her adventure to her new fief as a member of the Ranger Corps. Rated K just in case.


Cendra Swiftfoot watched her surroundings with intense caution. She was headed northeast at a quick pace. The ranger wanted to reach her destination by nightfall. She wasn't frightened at traveling in the dark, but of the other things traveling in it.

"Caraway fief is half way across Araluen!" Cendra thought bitterly and glanced around once more. The girl nudged her horse into a brisk canter and touched her bow lightly. She loved that reassuring feeling of a weapon close at hand.

Suddenly, she saw faint lights forming ahead of her. She pulled her cowl farther over her face and urged her horse to go faster. The sky was already beginning to grow dark as they approached the town.

"Guess I'm spending the night here," she said silently and kept her senses alert. When she pulled into the little town, the stars were beginning to peek out. She slowed her horse and they rode slowly onto the cobblestone streets. Cendra tilted her head slightly downwards as she rode on, making sure to keep her face hidden.

Nobody had to see or know her identity to know she was a ranger. She wore a dark green cloak, forest colored clothing, was armed with a massive longbow and quiver full of arrows, and wore a silver oakleaf. Cendra didn't bare this symbol with honor, but as a symbol of punishment.

She had been forced into the Ranger Corps and sent away from her longtime home. Crowley had been insisting that the girl join the Corps for years and he finally found a valid reason for her to join.

When the ranger walked her horse through the streets, people shuffled out of the way and lowered their heads. Cendra took notice of this, but had no interest in the townspeople. She pulled up at the nearest inn and dismounted. She bedded her horse, taking her longbow and slinging it over her shoulder.

When the female ranger opened the door slowly and stepped inside the inn, no one noticed her. To the girl's relief, she had been silent enough under the voices and snuck inside. Noise was all around the inn as Cendra took a seat in a dark corner. She kept her head down, looking at her folded hands on the table. Her keen ears tuned in on the various conversations and one in particular she paused on.

"Just like that! The knife struck out and cut my arm nice n' deep. 'E's attack every person who's come near tha' forest. Like 'e's protecting somethin'."

Cendra tilted her head the slightest bit to catch more of the man's strange encounter.

"Jus' attacks people for no reasons at all. I know of the sorts of sorcery in them woods and I think 'e's one of them sorcerers. Killed people, too, he has. Two farmers in the past month."

Cendra was fighting herself to stay put and just listen, but curiosity took over. She rose from her chair and walked over to the small group of locals. She placed her gloved hands on the table and all four looked at her.

"Who is this man you speak of?" she asked, her head still down.

"Why does it concern you?" one of the farmers asked harshly.

"Because I can help with this problem," she growled back.

The man who had been telling the account glared at the ranger.

"Women folk can't do nothin' 'bout it. I'd just go back to house work if I was you," he said angrily.

Cendra's left hand shot out across the table and grabbed the man's shirt collar. She dragged him across the table with ease and brought his face a few inches from her own.

"Listen, I wouldn't criticize women if I were you, especially if that woman was a ranger," she said in a dangerous whisper. The farmer's eyes were bulging with fear as he swallowed nervously. Cendra released the local roughly, letting him slam onto the small table. The other men at the table had been watching Cendra the entire time with wide eyes.

"I-it was in the forest, out thatta ways," he sputtered. "E's not friendly, mind you. 'E don't say nothin' to nobody, jus' attacks people."

Cendra frowned at the farmer for a few moments. Everyone in the tavern room was watching the ranger. When she had dragged the man across the table, the action did not go unnoticed. She then turned and walked up to the innkeeper awkwardly.

All eyes were following her as she quickly disappeared up the staircase. She walked quickly into an open room and locked the door after her. Cendra sighed and tossed her cloak aside. She approached the small window and examined the town below.

Her green eyes scanned the area and finally rested on a huge, looming forest. She made a mental note to go there very early in the morning. Then the ranger turned back to the room. She blew out the candles and fell asleep on the small bed.


End file.
